Combined ice and water boat.



No. 863,747. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907. J. A. NORTON.

COMBINED IGE AND WATER BOAT. APPLIOATION FILED NOV.13. 1906.

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WITNESSES.- INVENTOR %W James fl Vorzon ATTORNEY THE NpRRIs PETERS an, WASHINGTON, v. c.

PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

J. A. NORTON. COMBINED ICE AND WATER 'BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1906. v

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. WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. NORTON, OF ODEBOLI, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO PETER E. NORDELL, TRUSTEE, OF KIRON, IOWA.

COMBINED ICE AND WATER BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Odebolt, in the county of Sac and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Ice and Water Boats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to navigation and the object of the invention is the construction of a boat operated by any motive,power and especially adapted for use upon shallow streams and lakes. It is equally adapted for navigation upon ice, as the same means of propulsion are as applicable to ice as to water.

The invention consists of an ordinarily constructed flat bottomed boat mounted upon a series of floats or hollow cylindrical tubes, pointed at the forward ends and secured together, and propelled by paddles or fans secured to endless chains which run on sprocket wheels extending from each side of the boat.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a view of my invention in side elevation showing the general plan of construction with some of the details omitted. Fig. 2 is a plan view of my invention showing the connection of the engine with the propelling means. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the floats showing also the means of securing them to the boat. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a sprocket wheel operating the paddle chains and a section of the chain, showing also the paddles attached to the chain and a section of the track in which is guided the arms attached to the paddles. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line x-y, Fig. 4, showing also the post to which the shaft of the sprocket Wheel is secured and a guide arm for the support of the chain. Fig. 6 is a detail view of guide arm as secured to one of the posts in the side of the boat and the tracks for guiding the chain. Fig. 7 is a detail of paddle and braces which hold the paddles rigid in the water, showing also the chains in cross section and the rollers attached to the links. Fig, 8 is a detail view in side elevation of ratchet bar and sprocket wheel used in adjusting the distance of the paddles from the water or ice. Fig. 9 is a detail view in front elevation of ratchet bar and sprocket wheel, showing also a section of the side of the boat to which the bar is adjusted and a worm gear and crank for the operation of the bar.

In the drawing, A is the boat and B the engine for its operation.

O, C, are the floats upon which the boat is mounted and are secured to the bottom of the boat by the braces, a, a, a. Underneath each float is secured a shoe 1), to protect the float from injury and also for use upon the ice.

D, D, aresprocket wheels adapted to revolve upon Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

the rear shafts, c, c, which are idlers, or secured to posts d. The wheels D are held upon the shafts by the pins cl.

The front wheels D are secured to the shafts wheels 6 and c and the chains 6 The posts (2 and (Z are fitted in the sides of the boat, having tongues d which fit corresponding grooves in the sides of the boat and thus providea water tight joint. The sprocket wheels D and D, have double spokes as seen in Fig. 5, the ends of each spoke having shoulders on each side, Over the ends of the spokes are adjusted the chains E, E, to the links of which are attached at intervals the paddles F, F. The chains are in pairs or double, one pair on each side of the boat, the chains in each pair being connected at the joints of the links by the rods f, which serve also as axes for the paddles. The paddles are held rigid in a vertical position when in the water by means of the braces f, f, which are secured to the links in front of the paddles. At each end of the rods f connecting the links of the chains carrying the paddles, are rollers G, G, which are conveyed in tracks g, g, secured to the posts (Z, d, and h, at the sides of the boat and also to the guide arms 01, 11. The tracks are supported in a position eccentric to that of the chains.

The guide arms are and thus offer less resistance to the air.

An arm j is pivotally secured at one end to a lug j on each paddle. At the opposite end it bears a roller is, which is conveyed in a track Z, secured to the posts d, d and h, and

follows the general course of the chain.

On the lower side of the chains the track I is below the chains and permits the paddles to maintain a vertical position, but on the upper course it passes below the chains, and thus the rollers is, following the course of the track, draw the paddles down, as seen in Fig. 4. Means are also provided for adjusting the paddles to correspond to the depth of the water by raising or lowering the sprocket wheels bearing the chains.

Secured to the inside of the posts (I and d are the posts m, m, to which are secured the toothed bars a, n. Near each bar a brace 0 is secured to the inside of the boat supporting a ring or collar p, which encircles a shaft 1. The shaft supports at one end a toothed wheel 8, adapted to mesh with the toothed bar, and at the other end a worm wheel t, both wheels being secured to the shaft. Secured to the collar and extending upward therefrom is a forked brace u, which incloses a worm wheel 1) which turns upon an axis in the forks A crank 'w is secured to the axis of the Worm o, and by the operation of the I crank communicated through the worms and the toothed wheel and bar, the posts (Z and d are raised or lowered and the position of the paddles with reference to the Water or ice regulated.

The boat is steered in the usual manner when in the Water by means of the rudder 1-1. When used upon the ice a grip or shoe may be added to the bottom of the rudder for gripping the ice.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a flat-bottomed boat, a series of floats or hollow tubes secured together upon which the boat is mounted, shoes secured underneath to said floats for the protection of the floats, of endless chains, run by sprocket wheels on each side of the boat. an engine for the operation of said sprocket wheels, paddles for the propulslon of the boat pivot-ally secured to said chains, 1

means for holding said paddles vertically rigid when in the water and means for raising and lowering the sprocket wheels and adjusting the paddles with reference to the water, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a boat, a series of floats or hollow tubes upon which the boat is mounted, of sprocket wheels on each side of the boat, means for the operation of said sprocket wheels, endless chains mounted upon said sprocket wheels. paddles for the propulsion of the boat pivotally secured to said chains, an arm pivotally secured to each of said paddles, tracks eccentric to the chains in which the arms are guided for folding the paddles as they pass out of the water. and means for raising; and lowering the sprocket wheels and adjusting the paddles with refer- Witnesses II. C. Grumman, .I. M. SNOEN. 

